tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post939099014859487120..comments2024-03-28T18:40:05.789-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: The First Time....You Bumped Off a CharacterJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-34058435002070556782014-03-03T19:44:39.973-05:002014-03-03T19:44:39.973-05:00Shari, are you remembering the short I wrote, &quo...Shari, are you remembering the short I wrote, "The Murder of Dr. Hart?"<br /><br />The only problem, as I mentioned, Shari, is starting to like your murderer. Few people are actually evil and all bad unless they're a psychopath or something, and I don't write those kinds of books. I don't want to delve into a truly sick and psychotic mind.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-5351365210720834862014-03-03T15:04:58.591-05:002014-03-03T15:04:58.591-05:00Gloria - writing a bio of the killer - what a good...Gloria - writing a bio of the killer - what a good idea. We do need to understand where the killer is coming from. And you and Kara now have me worried about going to the doctor.... ;)Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-43692892395264294412014-03-03T14:31:31.124-05:002014-03-03T14:31:31.124-05:00Interesting post, Shari. My first victim was not n...Interesting post, Shari. My first victim was not nice at all so there were a lot of suspects. Then I killed off a sympathetic character in the same book. Since then, I've killed off both nice, so-so or not very nice characters. <br /><br />The hardest thing for me, is the murderer. I write a biography of him/her in advance to know how and why he/she decides to do such a deed, and then I feel horrible when he/she has to suffer for killing their victim. But it's usually the family of my murderers who suffer the most and I feel sorriest for.<br /><br />Kara, I murdered a doctor for the same reason in one of my short stories.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-16632763161801269712014-03-03T13:35:40.832-05:002014-03-03T13:35:40.832-05:00Good post, Shari. The first character I “killed” w...Good post, Shari. The first character I “killed” was a surgeon who preferred money over patient safety.Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-61678008584540721992014-03-03T12:08:30.980-05:002014-03-03T12:08:30.980-05:00Hi everyone - I am impressed by the range of motiv...Hi everyone - I am impressed by the range of motives and situation for your first victims. It's given me a lot to think about - how we use that choice of victim to set up characterization, plot, and theme.<br />EB - First time I've heard of beach bucket and shovel as weapons, but I must say your vic had it coming.<br />Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-84936442756562948142014-03-03T12:02:47.518-05:002014-03-03T12:02:47.518-05:00Killing off characters is tough--even the bad guys...Killing off characters is tough--even the bad guys have become my "children." Nobody is all evil or all good, so there have to be mixed feelings. And I'm friends with some people who have done some fairly terrible things. In an unthinking moment, I promised one buddy I'd be his witness if he was ever convicted of another murder & executed. Thank goodness he seems to have gone reasonably straight. Or at least not been caught. And the state has effectively done away with the death penalty, so I don't think I'll have to make good on the promise.<br /><br />That said, most of the characters I've killed off are not going to be hugely missed. KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-82284351579168917152014-03-03T10:35:33.013-05:002014-03-03T10:35:33.013-05:00Great post, Shari! I've done a lot of thinking...Great post, Shari! I've done a lot of thinking about killing off beloved characters -- especially in the cozy world. Sherry Harrishttp://wickedcozyauthors.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-58487163929104697092014-03-03T10:33:05.328-05:002014-03-03T10:33:05.328-05:00My first kill was an innocent man whose strange di...My first kill was an innocent man whose strange disappearance started rumors flying about other innocent men.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-37374165327936406422014-03-03T10:15:26.817-05:002014-03-03T10:15:26.817-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sarah Henninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06822639126179367121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-49811530542806903832014-03-03T10:15:22.626-05:002014-03-03T10:15:22.626-05:00My first "kill" was someone who was a pa...My first "kill" was someone who was a pawn of the killer's. I never really explored who this person was. But I was 22 and really didn't realize that I should give every victim a good back story, even if we only "meet" them later and who they are isn't important.Sarah Henninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06822639126179367121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-39549586714687783992014-03-03T07:12:57.686-05:002014-03-03T07:12:57.686-05:00My first "kill" was a truly terrible man...My first "kill" was a truly terrible man and father. His twelve-year-old daughter, who he was sexually abusing, killed him using only her beach bucket and shovel. It took courage, but she had no choice. The father was threatening to abuse her little sister.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-69135112952537175392014-03-03T06:26:32.269-05:002014-03-03T06:26:32.269-05:00The first character I killed was a nice guy – not ...The first character I killed was a nice guy – not perfect – but truly a nice person. The question, of course, was whether it was a mistake or intentional, and if intentional, then why.<br /><br />~ Jim<br />Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-66934029104507019352014-03-03T01:45:43.092-05:002014-03-03T01:45:43.092-05:00I seem to start the murders with a generally nice/...I seem to start the murders with a generally nice/benign character. At least liked well enough. Then I kill off some unpleasant people, usually because I set them up as suspects. That seems to be the kiss of death for them.Gayle Carlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783449240138097315noreply@blogger.com